Tuning peg for musical instruments



Aug. 26 1924.

C. KREMP TUNING PEG FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS I Original Filed June 22Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

UNITED STATES 7 1,506,373 PATENT OFFICE.

CARL KREMP, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO H. A. WEYMANN &

SON, INCL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNYSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL-VANIA.

TUNING PEG FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Continuation of application Serial No. G l-7,050, filed June 22, 1923.

This application filed July 3, 1924.

Serial No. 724,052.

To oZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL KREMP, a citizen of the United States, residingat Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in a 'Inning Pegfor Musical Instrui'nents, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in a tuning peg formusical instruments, the same being a continuation of my application forLetters Patent bearing Serial Number 647,050, filed June 22nd, 1928, andhas for its object to provide an exceedingly simple and effective deviceof this character which will be neat in appearance, strong and durableas well as effective in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tuning peg which isparticularly adapted for use on stringed musical instruments of thebanjo type wherein the key or finger piece may be rotated at one speedand the tuning peg proper or stem rotated at a slower speed through themedium of a suitable gear train between the key and stem.

A further object of this invention is to provide for varying the speedof rotation between a key or finger piece and a tun-' ing peg proper orstem so constructed that said key and stem are in direct alignment andthe ordinary well known operation and exterior appearance of the tuningpeg will remain unchanged.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a tuning pegstructure comprising a stationary internal ring gear, a central keygear, a loose or racing intermediate gear meshing with the first twonamed gears, and a tuning peg proper or stem including, in effect, acrank for connection with the intermediate gear to rotate the said stemat a less speed than the rotation of the key gear.

lVith these ends in view, this invention consists in the details ofconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and thenspecifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains, may understand how to make and use the same, I will describeits construction in detail, re-

ferring by numerals to the accompanying drawing forming a part of thisapplication, in which Fig. 1, is a rear face view of the outer end of amusical instrument neck and head prcec showing my invention appliedthereto w th one of the tuning pegs removed.

Fig. 1'2, is an enlarged interior plan view of the tuning peg with thestem and inside plate removed.

Fig. 5, is a longitudinal sectional side elevation of the completetuning peg structure.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied, 2 represents the neck ofa string musical instrument of the banjo type from which projects thehead piece 3 and in the back of this head piece are formed a number ofrecesses 1 each having notches 5 and com municating with a hole 6through the front of the head piece.

These recesses are to receive the tuning peg structure which includes anouter plate '7 having a central cupped up portion 8 forming a chamber 9to receive a washer 10. To the plate 7 is secured an internal ring gear11 having a number of spaced enlargements 12 in which are formed holes13 to receive screws as will be hereinafter set forth.

The ring gear 11 is of slightly smaller diameter than the plate 7 so asto leave an overhanging edge or flange 14 which is adapted to rest uponthe back surface of the head piece when the tuning peg structure isplaced in the recess 4.

Concentric with the ring gear 11 is revolubly mounted a key gear 15carried by the key shank 16 passing through the plate 7' and having akey or linger piece 17 fastened thereon in any suitable manner as by ascrew 18 and between the cupped portion of the plate 7 and the inner endof the key, or a component part thereof, is placed a washer 19.

From the key gear 15 projects a trunnion 20 adapted to register with acentral hole 21 in the tuning peg proper or stem 22, the latterprojecting through the hole 6 and adapted to have a musical stringattached thereto. The tuning peg proper or stem 22 is fixed to a disc 23carrying a pin 24; which enters the hub of the loose or racingintermediate gear 25 the latter meshing with the stationary ring gearand the revohible key gear. The disc 23 and pin 2st form acrank for thetuning peg proper or stem 22 so that as the racing gear 25 travels thestem 22 will be rotated at the same speed as the axis of said racinggear.

To hold the tuning peg with its disc and the racing gear in place andalso complete the housing for the gear train a plate 26, through whichthe stem 22 projects, is disposed across the ring gear 11 and securedthereto by screws 27 or their equivalent which pass into the holes 13for threaded engagement with the enlargements 12 of said racing gear.Projecting from the plate 26 and surrounding the opening therein throughwhich the stem 22 passes is an externally threaded hollow boss or sleeve28 which projects into the hole 6 in the musical instrument head pieceand on this is threaded the cap nut 29 having a flange 30 to bearagainst the front face of the head piece to fasten the tuning pegstructure in place thereby giving a finish to the completed article andeliminating the unsightly screws generally used for fasteningappurtenances to musical instruments.

The tuning peg structure is completely assembled before connection withthe musical instrument and to place it in position the stem 22 and thehollow boss 28 are inserted in the hole 6 while the ring gear and othercomponent parts are fitted in the recess l with the enlargements 12 ofsaid ring gear registering with the notches 5 which will prevent therotation of the tuning peg structure and when said structure is properlypositioned the flange let of the plate 7 rests upon the rear surface ofthe instrument head piece and closes the recess 4. Next the cap nut 29is threaded onto the hollow boss until the flange of said cap nutengages the front face of the instrument head piece, thus fastening thetuning peg structure in place.

It will be particularly noted that such a structure provides for thetuning peg proper or stem 22 and the key or finger piece 17 being indirect alignment so that to the casual. observer the appearance isidentical with that of the ordinary tuning peg and with the skilledmusician both the key and tuning peg are in the same places as he isaccustomed to use them. The reduction in speed of rotation between thetuning peg 22 and its key permits the strings to be very accuratelytuned and as the reduction here shown is approximately in the ratio offour to one even though the key is turned one complete revolution thetuning peg will be rotated but a quarter of a turn. In the ordinarytuning peg it sometimes happens that due to friction an extra amount offorce is required to start the key and before the movement can bestopped the string will have been either tightened or loosened too much.This disadvantage is entirely overcome by the structure herein describedwhile providing very accurate tuning of the string.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details ofconstruction as herein shown as these may be varied within the limits ofthe appended claims without de parting from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and usefulis 1. The combination with a head piece of a stringed musical instrumenthaving a recess in the rear thereof with a hole through the front andcomn'iunicating with the recess and further having notches (lisposedabout said recess, of a tuning peg structure including an outer platehaving a central cupped up portion, a ring gear fixed to said plate,said ring gear being of smaller diameter than the said plate so as toleave a flange for engagement with the rear face of the head piece whenthe tuning peg structure is inserted in the recess, enlargements on saidring gear for registration with the notches about the recess in the headpiece, a key gear concentric with the ring gear, an outwardly projectingshank passing through the outer plate and adapted to revolve the keygear, a washer within the cupped up portion of the outer plate betweenthe latter and the key gear, a key mounted on the shank, a washerlocated between said key and said outer plate, a loose intermediate gearmeshing with the ring gear and the key gear and adapted to travel aboutthe space between said gears during the revolving of the key gear, atrunnion projecting from the key gear at the axial center thereof, astem journalled on said trunnion in endwise alignment with the key gearshank, a disc fixed to the inner end of the stem, a. pin carried by saiddisc and fitted in the loose intermediate gear to travel therewith andthereby rotate the stem at a reduced speed relative to the key, and aplate covering said disc and secured to the ring gear.

2. The combination with a head piece of a stringed musical instrumenthaving a recess in the rear thereof with a hole through the front and.communicating with the recess and further having notches disposed aboutsaid recess, of a tuning peg, structure including an outer plate havinga central cupped up portion, a ring gear fixed to said plate, said ringgear being of smaller diameter than the said plate so as to leave aflange for engagement with the rear face of the head piece when thetuning peg structure is inserted in the 'recess, enlargements on saidring gear for registration with the notches about the recess in the headplate, a key gear concentric with the ring gear, an outwardly projectingshank passing through the outer plate and adapetd to revolve the keygear, a washer within the cupped up portion of the outer plate betweenthe latter and the key gear,

a key mounted on the shank, a washer located between said key and saidouter plate, a loose intermediate gear meshing with the ring gear andthe key gear and adapted to travel about the space between said gearsduring the revolving of the key gear, a trunnion projecting from the keygear at the axial center thereof, a stem journalled on said trunnion inendwise alignment with the key gear shank, a disc fixed to the inner endof the stem, a pin carried by said disc and fitted in the looseintermediate gear to travel therewith and thereby rotate the stem at areduced speed rela tive to the key, an inner plate disposed across thering gear, means passing therethrough and coacting with the enlargementsof the ring gear to fasten said plate in place, a hollow boss carried bysaid plate and registering with the stem, said boss with the stemprojecting through the hole in the head piece, and a cap nut havingthreaded connection with said boss and engaging the front face of thehead piece to fasten the tuning peg structure in the head piece.

In. testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature:

CARL KREMP.

